Good Enough: Meet Competitive Powerlifter Marcus Morris

Black and white. That's what powerlifting is. You're either strong or you're not.

Marcus Morris is strong. How strong you may ask?

How about top ten all time on the charts in the 181 pound class and top ten on the multi-ply list. A native of New York, he's on his way to trying to nail a huge squat in less than a month in Buffalo.
I wanted to know what made this guy tick, so I reached out to him and wanted know what drives him, his methods, and who pushed him to be the best he can be.

Ladies and Gents....Marcus Morris.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

For starters, I'm 27 years old and reside in Syracuse, New York. By day, because we all have bills to pay, I work as an account manager for Coca-Cola.
afterwards, all of my free waking moments are dedicated to my passion, which is competing.

I am privileged enough to train out of THE Hercules Gym, owned by Rheta West and Pete Knutsen. Everyday I feel beyond blessed not only to be able to compete in such a wonderful sport, but to be able to do in in such a cohesive and supportive environment alongside some other great lifters.


Were you active in sports growing up?

Growing up, I was very underweight early on. Sports became a huge factor in my life for that reason. In high school, I played football, baseball, and wrestled. Being one of the smaller guys standing at 5’4 and some change, I always had to bust my ass to get on the field.

Anyone that knows me, knows that I have a huge chip on my shoulder...and because of that I am a workhorse. I thank God for childhood and high school athletics because they taught me from an early age that life isn't fair, but with hard work, consistency, and an opportunity...anyone can make a play.

What drew you to the weights?

It's cliche, but I was first drawn to weights out of fear and insecurity. As a young overweight kid, I was picked on a lot. I remember one incident specifically where coming home on the bus, two older kids cornered me in a seat and harassed me the whole ride home. I remember getting off the bus and breaking down crying at the front door to my mom. First, my grandmother felt that karate would do the trick. The thing is, I'm not a fighter. After that didn't take, she got me a membership at Bally’s as well as a personal trainer named Janis.

From the minute I stepped inside the gym, I was addicted. I would train with Janis two times a week...but I would go there on my own every chance I could. I loved everything about the weights. The smell, the sounds, the physical exertion and release, I loved it all. Training right then and there, became not only my emotional escape, but it allowed me to create a version of myself that I wanted. From the day I walked in there untill now, I have been chipping away at that version of myself that I want to see. When I think about what competing and training does for me today..it's simple.

The platform is the only place in the world where I can prove to myself that I am enough.

Have you ever tried your hand at bodybuilding?

This makes me laugh...because I made one sad attempt. When I was about 19, before I seriously got into powerlifting, I did a natural bodybuilding show. To be be honest, I just wasn't carrying nearly enough muscle to do a show, nor was I able to diet the way I should have. In the future, perhaps after my time in powerlifting is done, I would be curious to make another attempt.

What made powerlifting more appealing to you?

The objectivity. The grittiness of it.

Powerlifting is black and white, you either got better or you didn't. More than anything, the chaos is what draws me in the most. Step foot into the warmup room at any big meet..what do you see? Adrenaline, aggression, and a bunch of bad motherfuckers just waiting to punch the clock and do what they have been training 16 weeks for.

You hear the sounds of plates being loaded, handlers cueing lifters, backs being slapped, and you hear the infamous “bar is loaded” coming from the main platform. There is not another sport like it.

Who are your favorites in the sport?

There is one lifter I look up to, and one only. Rheta West.

Rheta is a multiple all-time record holder both raw and equipped in the 148 and 165 weight classes. When I was 21, Rheta took me under her wing and has been nothing short of my source of motivation for training, a great mentor, and an even better friend. If I could be 1/10 the lifter and person Rheta is, then I will have accomplished a hell of a lot.

Lets shift gears and dive right into training. You’re the best in your class at 181 at multiply. No easy feat. What is your best total and what your training like leading up to that meet?

My best multiply Total to date is 2100 pounds from about a year and a half ago. All meet cycles are pretty much the same for me raw or equipped. My training style is an adaption of conjugate, and then some of the things I have learned along the way from Rheta, Scott Rowe, and a few others.

Essentially, I have a dynamic effort day and a maximum effort day. I use my “speed” days to accumulate volume and refine technique using specialty bars to manipulate positioning, as well as

varying forms of accommodating resistance.

For my max effort work I stick to primarily singles and view my training weeks much like a climber attempting to reach the summit of Everest. For the squat and deadlift I utilize reverse bands alongside staggered straight weight attempts to climb that intensity latter until finally at the meet I reach the peak. Same thing with the bench, only I use boards. I am very aggressive with my attempts and sometimes it backfires. But I'm not scared of shit and I'd rather fail trying than take an easy make.

What are your current goals?

Currently I have made a shift into raw powerlifting. I competed in my first raw meet about 4 months ago and totaled 1700 at 181. I currently have a meet August 5th where I plan to put together a total that I am capable of, and I will also be taking a shot at the all-time squat record which currently stands at 759.

It's going to be a fun ride, and more importantly it's going to be fun to shut all those raw zealots up. I have the sack to step in their world, let's see them come to mine.

What's a typical training cycle look for you, as far as percentages go? 

My speed work is broken down into three micro cycles that make up a larger nine week cycle. 

Currently I am competing raw, so for the squat my bar weight percentage is 40, 45, and then 50. Over three weeks I go 12x2, 10x2, 6 to 8x2. 

Every fourth week the specialty bar changes to attack a specific positioning weakness. In regards to the accommodating resistance, I let that remain the same over nine weeks. After nine weeks, I add more in either band or chain. Currently I am utilizing a choked heavy band, and eight chain. 

The next 9 week cycle will see a light band added to that. For the deadlift, my bar weight is usually 50 percent for 5x2 week one, 60% 10x1 week 2. 

I use a lot of deficits early on in the cycle and rotate bands and chains every three weeks. Week three I back off. I currently do not utilize a speed day for bench, as I have Pete Knutsen programing my bench and he feels I need volume over speed at the moment and it's working. 

For my heavy work, especially with the squat...I attack the intensity ladder much like a climber would Everest. A very rudimentary peaking cycle for the squat would go as follows..

week 1: last warmup x2, reverse band opener x1

Week 2: opener x1, reverse band second

Week 3: off

Week 4: Second attempt, reverse band third

Week 5: Overload to 30-50 pounds over third with reverse band

Week 6: off

Week 7: Take all Attempts, cruise until the meet.

For the deadlift I pull three times over 9 weeks...

9 weeks out: Reverse band x2 

6 weeks out: four mat deficit vs eight chain

3 weeks out: pull opener

The bench is in Pete's hands at the moment and I am on autopilot. I will tell you right now, he knows what he is doing.

Tell us about the gym you train at. Looks to be a place where someone can get pretty damn strong.

Hercules Gym is my home. I would be nothing if it wasn't for those walls. I mean that sincerely. 

It is owned by Rheta West and Pete Knutsen, both of whom make every attempt to provide their lifters with the best training environment possible. I have said this before. Hercules is a shark tank. It is home to multiple personalities, training methodologies, and athletes. We have everyone from beginners just getting their feet wet, to IFBB pro's and all-time record holders. Does everyone always get along? No. But I will say this, everyone there is there to get better. When you walk in that door, that is the only thing that matters. Leaving better than you were before you came in. 

Don't be a big fish in a small pond. Go jump in the fucking shark tank and take some risks.

I’ve noticed you use the box squat a lot. If I’m a raw beginner….how would I start off learning the movement? 

Find someone who knows what they are doing. Outside of that...getting proper cueing and understanding it. Are you breaking the floor apart on the pickup, the descent, and the ascent? Are you sitting back? Are you rocking, or are you managing to stay tight to the box? These are all things that need to happen. Basic things to get right..

1: Chest stays up..dont rock on the box

2: Break the floor apart the whole time

3: Touch the box with your adductor....not your ass

4: Lead with your shoulders to get off the box and drive your head back

5: Go slightly wider than comp stance.

Diet wise, what are your staple foods?

I usually stick to chicken, beef, rice, pasta, eggs, bread, and then fill in the blanks with whatever I want. 

I have a hard time eating enough, especially due to anxiety, so sometimes i need some shitty food.

Do you ever go on a “diet” to cut weight?

Where is the competitive advantage in that? all cuts should revolve around water manipulation only.

What was your most severe weight cut?

Typically I cut 22-24 pounds over 36 hours. 

They all run like clockwork for me at this point, as I have a routine and I stick to it. 

I try to only sweat the last 10-12 hours. I make sure to only be at my target weight for the 3 seconds I am on the scale. 

For me the hardest aspect has always been the recomp. However with the help of others I finally have come up with the perfect IV/nutrition/and supplement combo to bring me back.

What drives you?

My whole life I have never felt like I was good enough. 

Maybe it was from getting bullied at a young age. Maybe it's from always being the smallest in every sport I played. Maybe it's from all the girls that made me feel like I'm worth nothing. Maybe it's a little of everything. I don't know. But I do know this. The only person in my life who truly made me feel as though I was enough was my grandfather. 

He would sit and watch every practice, come to every game, and he would bring me home almost every time. If there is one thing in my life I miss, it's those car rides home, and the lessons that were instilled in me..even if I didn't know it at the time. When I was a junior in highschool, my grandfather...who had battled cancer for some time at this point..was told he didn't have much time left. 

The hardest thing in the world is to watch someone who means so much to you, who is so strong, and that you look up to so much, just start to wear down and fade away. 

The one thing he would always make sure to tell me....every single time he saw me...was to "be a pro". I didn't get what it meant until those last few months. You see, being a pro isn't about being the best.....it's about controlling the things you can control, and regardless of the cards you are dealt...you play them out and you play them out to the best of your ability. A pro doesn't fold. He doesn't back down, and he most certainly doesn't let the things he can't control dictate the things he can. I watched my grandfather do all of those things in those last few months. I don't think I will ever learn a stronger lesson than that. 

So everytime touch a bar, I remember him...I remember the message he was trying to convey without even saying it. There will never be a weight on my back that is as heavy as life can be.

Marcus's Grandfather

Anyone you would like to thank? 

I would like the thank Rheta for everything she does for me. It goes so far beyond powerlifting. She has been there for me when things were as low as they could be. She really is a great human being. I also want to thank my teammates and training partners, you guys do a lot day in and day out to put me in a position to make a play....and I will always be there to do the same for you.

Follow Marcus on Instagram: Marcusmorris15

Getting to Know Ryan Doris, Natural Pro Bodybuilder, USAPL Powerlifter & Entrepenuer

I have had the pleasure of knowing Ryan for quite awhile. We first met back around 2008...while we were both college students (at different academic levels), and the first thing that struck me was how incredibly focused and goal oriented he is. 

Fast forward to now, he's launching a new venture which explores the mental side of training, he also explains what drew him to powerlifting and when we can see him onstage as a bodybuilder. 

ENJOY!

Ryan Doris

So let's start this off by introducing yourself to the peoples! Yes, I said peoples...

You’re a bit of an enigma in powerlifting and bodybuilding, performing at a high level in both. 

Can you explain how you got into both?

I originally got into the bodybuilding scene first because that's what is more dominant in the Chicago area. I think I would have gotten into powerlifting first if it had a larger presence in the Chicago area. It is super popular but the area is so large that the bodybuilding scene really dominates a bit more, as with most metropolitan areas. For me it really came down to exposure and random chance. 

I don't think that there is really much of a fundamental difference between the two. The only difference is the competition. Everybody bodybuilder with a long off season always works to get a stronger bench, squat, and deadlift. 

In that way I think all bodybuilders are powerlifters, they simply don't compete. Powerlifters want to gain muscle and strength all the same. 

At the end of the day the specifics of it are about competing. Albeit, the small details and differences between the two are drastic when you inspect it closely. But fundamentally, it's kind of all the same when you look at the big picture. If it weren't similar we wouldn't be In the same category whatsoever. 

The rise of raw powerlifting has made it much easier to compete as well. Body builders lift raw and they don't even realize it. I decided to compete in powerlifting because it's what I am doing anyways. May as well specialize for a few years and see what I can pull off. 

When you started competing, did you even think you’d turn pro in a natural association?

No, I had no idea. I just wanted to do it and compete. It just so happened that the first I ever heard of bodybuilding was a natural organization. Again, just down to proximity and random chance. The knowledge of the NPC was really a secondary thing for me. So I guess natural bodybuilding is just home for me. I've been in it so long I honestly don't know anything else. 

After my first show I realized there was a beauty and art associated with competing at the highest level. And I just fell in love with it. Exhibiting your highest self in physical form. 

They just so happen to call it pro in bodybuilding because they have the financial structure. For example, there is no pro powerlifting organization. All of it is amateur. So the real thing for me is just going against the best. Whether they call it pro or not. Pay or don't pay. I just wanna compete and feel that fight between two men trying their absolute best in their finest hour. 

What would be your typical workout for bodybuilding in a typical offseason?

All the standard hypertrophy stuff really. Except instead of one big chest day. I would do chest twice a week and bench twice a week well. That way I get in about 1.5x the work volume a week on a body part by spreading it across two days rather than one. Same for the other body parts and compounds. One thing I learned from powerlifting is the power of frequency. It's really an amazing tool and often people are afraid because of overtraining. Or in fact they do overtrain. 'Tis a fine line you have to remain objective with. 

In prep mode

Let’s shift to powerlifting a little bit. When you first got into the sport, was it a huge culture and training shock to what you were accustomed to before?

No not at all. It felt exactly the same. It felt smaller if anything. 

That way the community was more tight knit and friendly. I actually prefer powerlifting in some ways because I feel it is socially more healthy. Less about individuals and politics. It is about the sport, community, and objective numbers. Ironically those things give it an edge to feel like a, "sport" where bodybuilding doesn't. 

The difficulty in contest preparation for both is about the same in terms of difficulty. The type of struggle is different but comprehensively both feel not fun. Although the lifting is much more difficult and mentally exhausting in powerlifting, the around the clock hunger and low energy in bodybuilding is equally as bad. I don't prefer either. They are both extremely hard. The suck, sucks. 

What memories do you have from your first meet? 

Wanting to tell people shut up! It was weird because lots of people at the meet, knew me from online content as well as from bodybuilding. Internally, it was my first meet and I was so nervous. I think people assumed since I am good at bodybuilding that I was good at powerlifting. They didn't realize this is an entirely different sport and I am so lost and confused just like any other novice. 

So, in an odd way I didn't get to have the first meet experience where it's just your family and friends supporting you. The expectation to succeed from the public strangely didn't matter. But..it did matter in terms of how it affected me lol. It was a combination of being a "noob" in one world mixed with people wanting to take pictures and ask questions about the parts of my life I have mastered . Really odd contrast. 

In The Hole!

What attracted you to compete in the USAPL versus other associations?

It has really high standards. Almost impossible at times. I want to compete where the drug testing is the most dependable. Also, where the judging and rules of technicality are most fair. I really succeed off of raw talent but also being able to have technical wins. 

You see so many athletes in sports who are talented but don't grasp the actual full idea of a game being played. Sort of why the Harlem Globetrotters aren't in the NBA. Skill isn't just enough. Playing the game is just as important as raw talent. 

Part of being successful in USAPL is being good at playing the technical game. Knowing the ins and outs. Being brute strong isn't good enough and I find that pretty fun to be honest. The mental stimulation keeps me interested.  

When you went knee deep into powerlifting, did you reach out to anyone to help you craft an approach towards how you should train for it, or was a lot of it your own experience under a bar?

The group I was in was one of the more elite powerlifting groups at the national level. I was so lucky.

Part of the reason I went in so knee deep was because they were in knee deep, so it was easy. I have learned from some of the absolute best when it comes to powerlifting which I am forever grateful for. All of the people I was associated with during my DeNovo Nutrition years are responsible for all I know. Again, proximity and luck. Just got really lucky and all I had to do was listen and try hard to learn. 

What is your philosophy to being good at both on a platform and onstage?

Don't take it so personal. I think people struggle with trying to get better and they get so frustrated. They are frustrated bc they are taking it so personal. I focus on just trying hard. Frustration is literally your mind saying this is your chance to prove who you are. Don't take the feeling personal and get mad. Listen to it and it'll tell you where you suck. It speaks in the language of failure, frustration, uncertainty. 

Also, I don't romanticize about it. I don't have a vision of myself at a certain ranking or dream. I just want to compete. Whatever I place, I place. I don't even have a trophy display. To me the doing is really what I like and find the most joy in. The process as they call it in football. In my struggles and obstacles I find who I am more and more. And that self love you get from discovering who you are is quite beautiful. 

Ryan at the 2016 Arnold Sports Festival USAPL Meet

Let’s talk about your current business endeavors. You traveled from Florida, previously launching DeNovo Nutrition, going all the way to the West Coast launching Fortis EQ Training. Why the change and what is Fortis EQ?

I think my time with supplements was just up. I realized that supplements are important to the industry, but my true impact is greater with another skill I have. I am ok with managing a company and growing it from start up.  I truly believe I am much better for the community and myself if I make content that helps people mentally. 

Fortis EQ is a content project. Fortis is Latin for strong and EQ is shorthand for emotional intelligence. The counterpart of IQ. My aim is to make as much content as possible that helps athletes mentally. A lot of people graze over the topics of athlete mindset but no one dives in. I am simply going full on with it. 

It is something I am passionate and most natural at. Psychology and philosophy are in my thoughts everyday of my life on the hour. Supplements can never compete with that. I think the move is just from a matter of confidence in myself. Everyone thinks the thing about them that is most honest isn't the best. I always thought they were random cool sounding thoughts. But something clicked that I realized with some effort and organization this could be a thing to present to the world. 

Why launch in Los Angeles versus Florida?

Weather and environment are a huge component of my productivity. 

As much as I would love to go back home to Chicago I feel that 6 months of the year are wasted  struggling with seasonal depression there. It really does affect me for the worst. So I have a bit of an informal vow with myself, to not return back to the cold as long as I am working long hours I am in my career. 

I can technically be anywhere, but I love the beach, sun, mountains, busy city, and fitness culture of LA . All of my favorite things are here. It just works with for me to have strongest base in being my best self. Except it's absurdly pricey. 

Let's Talk about your family a bit. Your brother is an Olympian that competed in Rio last year for Guyana. How’d it feel seeing him raise your home country's flag?

Ryan & his brother Troy in Rio for the 2016 Olympics

Yea it feels oddly normal. He is very similar to me in regards to what I was saying earlier about just wanting to compete and not caring about the status or awards. After he got done with finals at the Olympics in Rio. The first thing he said to me was, "Man, that was just a normal meet. They just call it the Olympics?"

So yeah, it is pretty awesome. But whatever others may get from it my family simply doesn't. Just feels regular. Maybe ironically that is why we can achieve at high levels. We just don't think much of it and don't let the pressure of it being a "big deal" affect us. Everything is easy when it's not a big deal. Just a regular thing that we are super grateful and happy to be doing.  

How instrumental was your mom in all of you guy’s successes?

Enjoying the beach with Mom

She is THEE instrument! She is our why...She is our purpose and reason. If my previous answer sounded jaded I think it is because this is where  I find my life enjoyment. I am unbelievably ecstatic when I talk about how lucky I am to have my mother.

The bond we have is the the most important thing I have in my life to be totally honest with you. My heart is full to dream and self-actualize because of her. Without that love and support I wouldn't be able to do any of this. 

What can people expect from you in the future?

Most definitely me making the switch back to bodybuilding. I missed looking jacked. Honestly no deeper reason just that! I missed looking awesome and that is enough for me to be ready to go back. 

I'm going to continue with Fortis EQ. Expand the style of content as well as continue to grow my online coaching business. I have no current goals of grandeur or anything big. I am enjoying this period of self-growth and diving into Fortis. I love where my life is and have no reason to let a future egotistical goal ruin the simplicity of it. 

Anyone you’d like to thank?

YES! You for having me, my family for having my back and giving me a healthy life. I'm able to take chances and fail because I have them to support me. So many people don't have that and for them failing once means disaster with no one to help you rebound. Also, everyone who is part of the Fortis EQ team. Anna, Logan, and Jake. I would be nothing but bundle of exciting ideas without them. My most humble thank you to them for them giving me their talent, autonomy, and time. 

You can connect with Ryan via social media and the web by visiting.....

Fortis EQ

Ryan Doris's YouTube

Ryan Doris Instagram

Pump Day: Week 9 of Creeping Death

Had to redo week nine of the program because of car trouble. Luckily all that is fixed now.


Chest/Shoulders/Back
Machine Press w/ neutral grip: 8 sets of 10 with one minute rest between sets.

Dumbbell Six Ways: 4 sets of 10
superset with
Cybex Machine Press: 4 sets of 8

Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets of 15

Band pull-aparts: 3 sets of 15 with a one second pause

I would have done this workout yesterday, but I felt like absolute shit, so I passed it up. Felt much better after some food and sleep.

Arms tomorrow. Hopefully get some good video again.

Hello, I'm Larry Brown and I'm in Dust Mode

I must forewarn you, this is my 1:30 a.m. brain talking to you right now. I get into moods in the early morning hours and I'm not sure why, but I'll roll with it.

I've been having a bitch of a time lately getting myself up for training and eating. A couple of things are contributing to this, but I'll just chalk it up under the huge umbrella of stress. It's not fun to deal with when you try to catch a break but you can't. However, I also understand, at the end of the day, you're responsible for you. So make sure you work hard enough to not put yourself in certain positions. And if you think you're working hard, guess what...you can do more.

With the stress, comes a bit of a downgrade in motivation to train. While I've been handling OK (at best) weight, I really have not felt like going to the gym. I do so, because my entire day will be off. It an addiction, but one that keeps me on the straight and narrow.

I'm honestly not even lifting for results per se' but more for just a cheap form of therapy. It helps me clear my mind when it becomes crowded with everyday shit. When I sat back and thought about it, it reminded me of what Dave Tate calls "Dust Mode"

Dust Mode is simply a point where training is not a priority, but you do the shit anyway. You may be post meet, post show, or trying to break a plateau. While you may not want to do it, this phase of training is paramount, because at some point you will bust out. Then that's when blast mode begins, but that's the subject of another post.

You can even hit a dust mode in life. No one is immune to it, some are just better at minimizing it. Right now I'm in dust in life and training. And it sucks. But I'm embracing it.

Personally, I've been in "dust" more times than I can count. I had a point a few years back where I was training for a meet and didn't want to go to Quads Gym to train. I thought of every excuse not to go. The commute sucked, I didn't feel like dragging all my shit and shit hurt everytime I trained....I had no car, blah, blah, blah. Fuck the danger of possibly being shot (oddly enough, never crossed my mind). But I was more concerned about "why am I going?

But inevitably, like clockwork, I would get up and get myself together to go and hop on the Red Line from 95th to Wrigleyville and make the six block walk to Quads.I hit all my numbers I was supposed to hit for the day, but training was rather uninspired.

I ended up hitting a pr on the squat, bench and dead and damn near went 9 for 9. So while working through a rough patch (that lasted for several weeks) I just went in, did what I needed to do and ended up winning the entire meet just 14 pounds away from a 1600 total at a "light" 242 (weighed in the 230's.

(Meet from 2010)

I will say this however, this is how it worked for ME. If you're in meet or show prep, you are BLAST MODE all the fucking way. Period.

Dust Mode is important. It sucks, it's not sexy and most people use it as an excuse to just be weak, but even in dust, you can push and make improvements. It's a snail pace, but it's its movement.

Keep banging in training and life.